For me, this isn't the start of half term yet, as I was working today. For people (i.e. Elli) who are wondering when I am working over half term, I am working Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, as well as my usual Saturday. And I was debating what to blog about... so I thought why not blog about an average working day, which is today. I sort of have a love/dislike relationship with work at the moment. Anyway, lets get started!
So I woke up around 7.30am, which is quite late for me. I got some breakfast and packed my bag for work. I left the house at 8.30am as I started at 9am. Arrived around 10 minutes early and saw my work friend, who had the same shift as me. Apparently some drama has been going on with her and another work friend. I try and avoid all that, but sometimes you can get dragged into it which is hard and all the drama going on can spoil the atmosphere for the rest of the day. So I go in, put my bag in my locker and look on the floor plan to find out I am on till. As per usual, I don't mind it too much though. I cash myself in and then the shutters open, ready for a new day. Then I realise some stuff has changed on the till. And I also received the devastating news that none of the card machines were working.
That may seem insignificant to some people reading this. But the amount of people who do pay with card is a lot. This is a typical fast food problem. And I only found out this news when I served my very first customer of the day and his card transaction didn't go through. So throughout the day, this was a problem for us... which I shall explain in a minute or so.
First hour of work was quiet. We talked. I cleaned a bit. Then I got asked if I wanted to go on a break, which I said yes to. Had this old/new product, this was one of my favourites as a promotion and now they have brought it back, full time! And my fries and Santa. Had my break with this guy, who also broke the devastating news that he may not be working full time over this summer and he may be leaving. Which made me feel sad. Talked to main manager about my holiday dates and gave him the dates where I can't work over the summer as I am abroad. Then I went back in after my break was over, and was back on my till with other people who had arrived to start work. And the conversation turned to John Newman, where my manager was questioning me about him and the conversation had such a weird conclusion. Shared my dream that I had last night with people. My dream was that I went into work and the uniform had changed and everyone was wearing yellow, from head to toe.
We started to get a bit more busy by this point, so I was mostly serving people, which I concentrated on throughout the day. I seemed to get all of the bigger orders. We were busy, steady busy. There was always someone waiting to be served. And some people wanted to pay by card, especially for bigger orders. We had a sign up on every till, saying that we could only accept cash. But some people didn't read it. So after they had finished making an order and I said the amount, they would get out their card. So then I say "I'm afraid we can only accept cash today as our card machines have gone down." And this is the part where it gets complicated. Some people are like "Oh, it's ok I have some cash!" Which is all well and good. It is the people who don't have any cash. So I then say "There is a card machine just down the end of the food court." Then they leave you, with their order on the screen of the till and then you wonder what to do...
Decisions to make when lacking a card machine and someone places an order, without any cash:
- Do you delete their order off yourself by putting through a 5p bag?
- Do you take another order, then get one of the managers to delete it off?
- Do you wait and hope they return soon with some money?
- Or do you keep their order available in hope they come back, but while you are waiting, you take another order?
And people may say in response to this "Well, why don't you just tell customers when they come up to your till and let them know that they can only pay by cash?" The amount of people I serve in a day is a lot. Some people may just want one little thing. If I told this fact to every single customer, I would get fed up of my own voice. Plus I kept forgetting as it isn't a typical thing to say to people as most people just dive straight in and say what they want.
We did get quite busy as some points and I was getting involved with all these customers. My work friends noticed this as they were all like "Amy's getting right in there, sorting everything out!" There was one moment in particular that really stood out for me. It was around lunchtime, it was reasonably busy. This woman came up and ordered four children's meals. And a meal for herself. Then she got out her card, so I pointed her in the direction of the card machine. Off she went, with her pram and her four children that followed behind her. I thought, "she looks reliable, I'll keep her order as she may come back." I did the number four on my list of decisions to make when lacking a card machine and someone places an order, without any cash. So I served the next person, hoping this "four children's meals" woman would come back, and this other woman wanted a meal with a Diet Coke. We got it all together, then the Diet Coke promptly spills all over the floor. At this point, this other woman was virtually on top of the counter by my till so I thought I'd better serve her. Mid-serving, this Diet Coke woman is going "My Diet Coke is on the floor! Excuse me, we have had a spillage!" So after I had finished taking this "counter top" woman's order (luckily she had cash) I had to go over to the solemn-faced Diet Coke woman who was looking straight at me. I had to direct her over to one of the cleaners (i.e. Spencer) to get that coke wiped up. I was then grabbing another Diet Coke to make up for the spillage, then the "four children meals" woman came back, wheeling her pram through this crowd of people, avoiding the spillage and waving a £20 note. I'm not sure what happened to that Diet Coke I originally had. I think my work friend realised that the woman was waiting for a Diet Coke and grabbed another one for her. Anyway, I managed to put through the four children's meals and eventually everyone got what they wanted. But it was just being a big part of the three minute drama that made it all the more hilarious and fun, especially as everything was resolved in the end!
My old maths teacher actually came in right in the middle of a calm time (it didn't last long!) He was greeting me with a look of surprise on his face saying "Hello, hello Amy!" and was asking how I was and whether I worked here full-time. I was like "no, I still go to sixth form! Still doing maths A level!" Which he laughed at and asks about which teachers are teaching us this year. Then he tried ordering burgers that we don't do anymore. In the end he had two cheeseburgers. And he said that the reason why he had been away from school was because he had been ill. So I said to him that I hope he feels better soon. Then he said for me to pass on the message to the maths class that "he says hello." Which I will do. It was really weird to see him there!
After I did a few more orders, I was asked if I'd like to go on five minutes (five minutes to chill in the staff room, drink fizzy drinks and clear your head a bit.) Obviously I said yes, and drinks guy had heard our manager asking me this so he kindly pre-made me my speciality drink before I even asked for it. This time was spent productively on Crossy Road. After five minutes, I went back to my till. No one was waiting to be served. Suddenly, I felt something land on my shoulder. It was a straw wrapper and a customer had blew it off the straw and it tapped my shoulder. The customer and myself started laughing and he was like "Oh I'm sorry for hitting you with that wrapper. I was trying to aim it at her," pointing at this woman he was with, who just rolled her eyes and laughed. I was like "it is ok, I bet you were aiming for me really!" To which they both laughed and he was like "Of course I was!" They weren't even my customers. I always get involved somehow!
It was like with the girl next to me. She was serving this boy and he was outraged that we don't do 6 chicken nuggets for 99p anymore. They were just a promotion. We do 4 now for 99p. 6 nuggets are now £2.99, which I personally think is a bit steep. I think you may as well get two lots of 4 for £1.98, as that is what I put through when this guy came up and ordered 6 nuggets by themselves. I explained what I was doing and how it was cheaper. Anyway, back to this moment. He was shocked and was arguing a bit to this girl about how expensive they were. And this girl is the youngest girl who works there and reasonably new-ish. So after I had finished serving, I stepped in and was like "Excuse me but we do actually sell 4 chicken nuggets for 99p. So you may as well get two lots of them for £1.98." Which he did in the end. I feel like I do my good deed for the day. And another scenario, where this man had loads of vouchers and asked me to do whatever was cheapest. My logic with pricing also worked on the last customers of the day. This order was big. And they wanted three lots of 6 cheesy bites. Which would come to £5.97. So I stepped in again... "Would you prefer to get 20 for £4.49? It would work out cheaper..." In the end, they brought 40 of these cheesy bites!
I was meant to finish work at 5pm, but my till was taken at 3.30pm and because there were so many people on shift today, I was allowed to go as there was nothing else I could really do. So I left and it turned out my mum couldn't pick me up straight away and I would have to wait an hour. I looked around for a bit, then I got bored as I didn't really need to buy anything, nor did I want anything. I was near McDonalds... so I thought why not? I could finally see Elli at work! I went in and joined this queue. It was really hard to spot her at first, then I saw her and had to work out whether or not she was on till. She was, and I made sure I got served by her! I wasn't really that hungry, but I had my Big Mac and fries on the bus ticket, which I found in my purse. Thank you Elli! It was good to see you at work for the first time! I ate it outside, and finally managed to get home, where I had a relaxing evening, with an hour spent blogging about day. All for the memories though!
Valentines day today. This man said to me "Have a good night, whatever you are doing." Think he was implying something right there. I will have a good night. Blogging. Watching Waterloo Road. And the all important sleeping. Probably not a typical valentines night that he was thinking of. I prefer to think of it as my "half birthday" though. 17 years and 6 months old today!
So yeah, it's all good...
A :)
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